Campanula plant named ‘Bkpcmpst’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Campanula  plant named ‘Bkpcmpst’ characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; campanulate-shaped flowers with white-colored petals; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Campanula portenschlagiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPCMPST’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCampanula plant, botanically known as Campanula portenschlagiana,commonly known as Dalmatian Bellflower and hereinafter referred to bythe name ‘Bkpcmpst’.

The new Campanula is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely flowering Campanula plants withattractive flowers and good interior and garden performance.

The new Campanula plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in May, 2011 of a proprietaryselection of Campanula portenschlagiana identified as code number4401230, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Campanula portenschlagiana identified as code number4401193, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Campanulaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in acontrolled outdoor nursery in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in May, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Campanula plant by terminal cuttings inMaasdijk, The Netherlands, since January, 2013 has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Campanula plant are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Campanula have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and Cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Bkpcmpst’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Bkpcmpst’ as a new and distinct Campanulaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Campanulate-shaped flowers with white-colored petals.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Campanula differ from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula flower earlier than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Campanula have flatter flowers than plants        of the female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Campanula and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have light violet-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Campanula differ from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula have larger and lighter        green-colored leaves than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Campanula have smaller flowers than plants        of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Campanula can be compared to plants of Campanula‘Spring Bell White’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plantsof the new Campanula differ primarily from plants of ‘Spring Bell White’in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Campanula are more compact than plants of        ‘Spring Bell White’.    -   2. Plants of the new Campanula flower earlier than plants of        ‘Spring Bell White’.    -   3. Plants of the new Campanula produce new flowers above the        older flowers whereas plants of ‘Spring Bell White’ produce new        and old flowers at the same level.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Campanula plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Campanula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Bkpcmpst’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘Bkpcmpst’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown in 12-cm containers during the summer in a glass-coveredgreenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practicestypical of commercial production conditions. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 19° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 14° C. to 16° C. Plants were 13.5 weeks oldwhen the photographs and description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Campanula portenschlagiana ‘Bkpcmpst’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Campanula            portenschlagiana identified as code number 4401230, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Campanula            portenschlagiana identified as code number 4401193, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About two weeks            at temperatures about 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 19° C. to            20° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,            upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching            habit with about 36 branches developing per plant;            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 14.4 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 28.1 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Aspect: Upright to prostrate,            ranging from about 5° to 90° from vertical. Length: About            10.2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Internode length: About            1.1 cm. Strength: Moderately weak. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 143B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.        -   Length.—About 2.2 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.8 cm.        -   Shape.—Cordate to deltoid.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Reniform to truncate.        -   Margin.—Coarsely dentate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Moderately pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to N137C; venation, close to 138A. Developing and            fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B;            venation, close to 138A.        -   Petioles.—Length, lower leaves: About 2.3 cm. Diameter,            lower leaves: About 1.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 143B to 143C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single campanulate flowers            arranged in axillary and terminal cymes; flowers face            upright to outwardly; freely flowering habit with about 17            flowers developing per terminal inflorescence, about six            inflorescences developing per axillary inflorescence and            about 1,250 flowers per plant developing during the            flowering season.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants            begin flowering about 13 weeks after planting; in the            garden, flowering continuous from late May to late August in            The Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About 18 days; flowers            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—Faint, pleasant.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 5.4 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 7 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.            Shape: Obovate. Color: Developing sepals (outer surface),            close to 143B to 143C; developing petals, close to 150D.        -   Flower diameter.—About 3.2 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 1.8 cm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Five, or occasionally six, in a single            whorl; lower 40% of petal length fused. Length: About            1.7 cm. Width, free part of the petal: About 9 mm. Shape:            Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper            surface: Close to NN155D. When opening, lower surface: Close            to NN155C; towards the apex, close to NN155A. Fully opened,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D; color does not            change with development.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five, or occasionally six, in a single            campanulate whorl; lower 20% of sepals fused. Length: About            9 mm. Width, base of free part of the sepal: About 1.5 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Narrowly acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            When developing, upper surface: Close to 143C. When            developing, lower surface: Close to 143B to 143C. Fully            developed, upper surface: Close to 143C. Fully developed,            lower surface: Close to 143B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Aspect: Terminal inflorescences, upright; axillary            inflorescences, about 40° from stem axis. Strength:            Moderately weak. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to            143B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 0.75 mm.            Aspect: About 40° from peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately            weak. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 143B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to            NN155D. Anther length: About 3 mm. Anther shape: Lanceolate.            Anther color: Close to 4C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 1.3 cm. Stigma shape: Decurrent. Stigma            color: Close to 149D. Style length: About 1.1 cm. Style            color: Close to 149D; towards the base, close to 157D. Ovary            color: Close to 143C.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Campanula.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Campanula have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Campanula    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Campanula have exhibited good    tolerance to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about −5° C.    to about 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Campanula plant named ‘Bkpcmpst’ asillustrated and described.